§706. Scope of review

To the extent necessary to decision and when presented, the reviewing court shall decide all relevant questions of law, interpret constitutional and statutory provisions, and determine the meaning or applicability of the terms of an agency action. The reviewing court shall-

(1) compel agency action unlawfully withheld or unreasonably delayed; and

(2) hold unlawful and set aside agency action, findings, and conclusions found to be-

(A) arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law;

(B) contrary to constitutional right, power, privilege, or immunity;

(C) in excess of statutory jurisdiction, authority, or limitations, or short of statutory right;

(D) without observance of procedure required by law;

(E) unsupported by substantial evidence in a case subject to sections 556 and 557 of this title or otherwise reviewed on the record of an agency hearing provided by statute; or

(F) unwarranted by the facts to the extent that the facts are subject to trial de novo by the reviewing court.

In making the foregoing determinations, the court shall review the whole record or those parts of it cited by a party, and due account shall be taken of the rule of prejudicial error.

( Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 393 .)

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface of this report.

Abbreviation of Record

Pub. L. 85–791, Aug. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 941 , which authorized abbreviation of record on review or enforcement of orders of administrative agencies and review on the original papers, provided, in section 35 thereof, that: "This Act [enacting section 2112 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, and amending sections 1036 and 1037(c) of former Title 5 [now sections 2346 and 2347(c) of Title 28], sections 8, 9, 193(c), 194(b)–(d), (h), 1115(c), 1599(c), 1600, and 1601 of Title 7, Agriculture, section 1848 of Title 12, Banks and Banking, sections 21, 45(b)–(d), 77i(a), 78y(a), 79x(a), 80a–42(a), 80b–13(a), and 717r(a), (b) of Title 15. Commerce and Trade, section 825l(a), (b) of Title 16, Conservation, sections 81r(c) and 1641(b) of Title 19, Customs Duties, section 277(b) of Title 20, Education, sections 346a(i)(2), (3), 371(f)(1), (3) of Title 21, Food and Drugs, section 1631f(b) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse, section 204(h), Title 27, Intoxicating Liquors, sections 160(d)–(f) and 210(a) of Title 29, Labor, section 576 of former Title 39, The Postal Service, section 291j(b)(1), (2) of Title 42, Public Health and Welfare, section 315(f) of Title 45, Railroads, section 1181(b) of Title 46, Appendix, Shipping, section 402(d) of Title 47, Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs, section 646(c) of former Title 49, Transportation, and sections 793(a), 820(e), 821(c), (d) of Title 50, War and National Defense] shall not be construed to repeal or modify any provision of the Administrative Procedure Act."

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 7123 of this title; title 2 sections 501, 502, 1409, 1571; title 7 sections 252, 2143; title 8 section 1182; title 10 section 1508; title 11 section 1172; title 12 sections 1701q–1, 1723i, 1735f–14, 1735f–15, 3105; title 14 section 425; title 15 sections 57a, 78y, 1262, 1474, 2618, 5408, 6503, 6751; title 16 sections 773f, 839f, 973f, 1379, 1855, 1858, 2437, 3142, 3636, 5010, 5507; title 18 sections 843, 3625; title 19 section 1337; title 22 section 4140; title 25 section 954; title 28 sections 1491, 2640, 3902; title 29 sections 727, 1813, 1853; title 30 sections 956, 1462; title 39 section 3628; title 41 section 422; title 42 sections 300gg–22, 610, 3545, 5405, 5919, 6976, 7607, 9152; title 45 sections 726, 904, 915, 1105; title 47 section 402; title 49 sections 20104, 32904; title 50 App. section 2412.